After leaving Tremp and being returned to our hotel, we had a couple of hours to kill before our late afternoon stint in the Bee Eater hides, a few miles away in Montgai. I suggested a walk along a small side road behind our hotel as I had a quick stroll along there after awaking early that morning and hearing a singing Quail and saw several Crested Lark's, Serins and a Tree Sparrow. We spent about an hour walking along the winding country road, racking up an impressive species list including Zitting Cisticola, Golden Oriole, a Woodchat Shrike, a few Bee-Eater's, several Crested Lark's, a Thekla Lark, (seeing Crested and Thekla together helped with i.d) and Steve got us on to a Short-toed Snake Eagle drifting high overhead. The Thekla was a lifer for me. We were almost reluctant to return to our hotel but did as we had to meet our guide in Montgai at 5.00 pm.
The Bee-Eater's did not disappoint for Tim and I but Steve fared a little less better in another hide situated 3 to 400 metres behind us, on account that these hides were only big enough for two people. Steve did get to see a couple of Rollers which we were hoping for, but missed.
A good few hours spent in the company of the Bee Eaters before returning to our hotel for dinner and a few beers before bed. The next morning was when our trip plans changed dramatically. We were due to visit hides for European Roller, which as mentioned, due to nest predation, was now redundant, Montague's Harrier and lastly a hide for Black-bellied and Pin-tailed Sand Grouse but both hides relied on the species being drawn in by water. Once again, with an abundance of surface water amassed from several months of heavy rain fall, these hides were also now redundant.
We set off early, driving to the Port del Comte ski resort, about 30 kilometres north of Solsona and spent the morning in a hide set up on the edge of a Pine forest with a drinking pool in front, 1700 metres above sea level and hoping for Alpine bird species. Well, although I did get a lifer in the shape of a Citril Finch, the morning was a complete waste of time. We did get a few fleeting glances of a Crested Tit, a Serin kept appearing but for most of the time stubbornly remained partially hidden in the foliage. I also thought the light was terrible, shadows everywhere and it was not long before I sort of gave up on trying to get any photos. This was for all three of us, our biggest disappointment, we travelled for two hours back tracking on our journey from Solsona earlier in the week and all for nothing really. (and a hundred euros each for the hide) Not much of a whinge really, the views we had were stunning and it was very strange to see the ski slopes with no snow on, just out of work cable cars resting above a grassy slope. Mind you, some of the slopes were indeed very steep. Also we found a restaurant open and had a superb Ham and Fried egg breakfast.
Serin
Strange seeing the piste with no snow.
Around the ski resort there were a few Crag Martin's in amongst the numerous House Martin's which soon eroded the memory of the Alpine hide, these do travel, especially with a tail wind.
We left the alpine area of Port del Comte and our re arranged schedule saw us driving back to Barcelona and then North for about 50 kilometres to a small town called Montseny. Another very nice hotel for our last night and the morning saw the three of us in a forest pool hide, a small wooden hide in the forest with a pool in front of it funny enough. The various perches were also baited and we enjoyed a busy morning session before leaving and making our way back to the airport at Barcelona for our evening flight home. We had hoped for Hawfinch here to no avail but a visiting female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker softened the blow. She was in and out for most of the time we were there.
My favourite from this session was a really showy Nightingale, a species I do not get to photograph out in the open that much.
Other visitors to the pool included Greater Spotted Woodpecker
Nuthatch
Crested Tit
All too soon, a knock on the door of the hide told us our guide had returned to end the session, which was a shame, as although all the birds visiting the hide pool were mainly of species that were fairly common to us (bar the Crested Tit's), they were all within a few metres of the hide window, but not easy given the dappled forest light casting shadows everywhere, but still a great morning's entertainment with the camera.
The one good thing about are changed itinerary, was instead of finishing in the Sand Grouse hide at Belchite, Aragon, and a three hour drive back to the airport in Barcelona, we were now only 50 kilometres (100 with Tim and Steve's phone navigation skills) North of Barcelona, so we had plenty of time to get back, off hire the car and grab dinner before our evening flight back to Gatwick.
All in all, a fairly successful trip with four new birds for me, Lammergeier, (which was the bird of the trip for me), European Black Vulture, Thekla Lark and the Citril Finch. (Cannot quite believe I never managed even a record shot of the Finch). Glaring misses with the Montagu's Harrier, European Roller and the Sand Grouse but unfortunately, Photo logistics had no control over the weather, no guarantees with wildlife watching I'me afraid but it does leave us something to go back for come the next Spring.
My Bird of the week.
Lammergeier
Thanks to Steve and Tim for an enjoyable week and also thanks to Photo logistics who done their best, especially given the trying circumstances.
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